Police see greater conspiracy

Karachi
The Karachi police believe that terrorists are targeting doctors to add fuel to the fire with the government and health associations engaged in a tussle, ultimately leading to the closure of public hospitals in the city. They also fear that to achieve this end, terrorists might attack more doctors in the coming days.
“Three of the four doctors killed in the city this year, two in the Central district and one in the West district, were targeted to provoke doctors into staging protests and boycotting health services,” Karachi police chief Ghulam Qadir Thebo told The News.
Health associations had announced a few days ago that outpatient departments (OPDs) at public and private hospitals as well as private clinics across Karachi would remain shut to protest against the government’s failure to protect doctors.
“Target killers and their masterminds killed these three doctors to create the impression of sectarian unrest,” Thebo said. “But our investigation reveals that these attacks were aimed at inciting the health community to lodge a protest.”
More attacks
Another police official said there could be more attacks on doctors in the city so that the health associations are forced to shut down medical facilities in the city, particularly the government-run ones, in protest.
“Intelligence sources say that these attacks might be carried out in the Central and West districts. There is also the possibility of an attack on health professionals in Korangi.”
The official said some elements were trying to achieve two targets: incite sectarian hatred by killing the professionals of different sects and to provoke the health associations into boycotting health services at major hospitals.
“The ultimate goal of these people is to give the impression that Sindh, especially Karachi, had become ‘ungovernable’ and the law enforcement agencies were helpless.”
The official said the SSPs and SHOs of the Central, West and other districts had been ordered to remain vigilant and increase patrolling around clinics and hospitals in their areas. Besides, he added, the high-ups of the Karachi police were constantly in touch with health associations so that they could ask their members to remain vigilant and adopt precautionary measures.
Not backing down
The office-bearers of the health associations are reluctant to reconcile and step back from their decision to boycott OPDs at hospitals and shut down clinics in the city on February 2.
They said they could no longer put up with the attacks on health professionals and wanted to send a strong message to the authorities.
“We never wanted a complete closure of health services in Karachi as thousands of patients would suffer, but it is the only way to show the government that doctors are united in their demand for protection,” Pakistan Medical Association General Secretary Dr Mirza Ali Azhar told The News.
Pakistan Islamic Medical Association (PIMA) stated there was no option left now but to make hard decisions.